9/17/2009 @ 6:00PM

Silicon Stethoscopes

As Congress continues to wrangle over how to care for a growing population of elderly people, technologists are working on their own answer: robots.

Exactly what a robot is, of course, has changed a lot from the days when robots were largely factory drudges. These days, robots can be as cute as pets or as efficient as a nurse. Robots are also becoming part of a broader “telehealth” program in which a combination of electronics and communication can let doctors examine patients remotely or enable people to stay in touch with patients confined to their homes.

As part of Congress’ ongoing health care debate, the House of Representatives has introduced language into its bill [HF-3200] that would establish an advisory committee on telehealth to begin considering whether such procedures would be covered by Medicare and Medicaid–something that would be a giant step forward for robotics solutions.

Companies use videoconference calling all the time; why shouldn’t doctors? Colin Angle, CEO of
iRobot
, suggests that remote diagnostic technologies (or “telerobotics”) could let doctors interact with patients even if they’re home in bed. A robot equipped with vital sign sensors–such as a stethoscope and a blood pressure monitor–could wirelessly convey that data to a doctor.

Using technology similar to modern videoconferencing, corporate giants including
General Electric
,
Intel
, LifeSize and
Cisco
have also entered the health care market. In April, GE and Intel announced a quarter of a billion-dollar joint venture to develop home medical monitoring technologies (as an extension of home security). GE’s current product, QuietCare, is a remote monitoring system with a wireless base station and infrared sensors set up throughout the home. This summer, Cisco introduced “HealthPresence,” a patient care technology that lets doctors and patients interact in much the same way as people engaged in a videoconference. In July, following pilot programs in Aberdeen, Scotland, and San Jose, Calif., Cisco reported that 90% of the involved patients were satisfied with the interaction and would recommend it to others.

Robotic-assisted surgery has been going on for years. (See Also: “Robo-Docs.”) But increasing companies are offering more technologies aimed at helping doctors ply their craft over great distances, particularly in rural area where there is limited access to high quality health care.

For instance, InTouch Health, a Santa Barbara Calif.-based robotics company, offers two types of robotic diagnostic stations used by more than 200 hospitals in the U.S. These enable doctors to interact with hospital patients at a distance. Founder and Chief Executive Yulun Wang believes that within five years’ time, such technology will easily let family members check on loved ones in hospitals. InTouch is the only company that the FDA has cleared to offer remote presence robots to hospitals.

Then there are private practice doctors who are using all available social networking tools to stay on top of their patients’ care. For instance, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, a pediatrician and expert in preventive medicine, Dr. Jay Parkinson, began utilizing Gmail, Skype and iChat in September 2007 to make “house calls” and communicate with patients. He wanted to be able to share data with other doctors in his office but he needed a platform to do so. In 2008, he founded “Hello Health,” a social networking platform like Facebook for doctors and patients to interact.

Big corporations, including Microsoft and
Google
, offer online health care accounts aimed at helping patients take better control of their own health records. (See: “The Devil Inside Wired Medicine.”) Even though Parkinson is an advocate for online medicine, he cautions that there are side affects: It’s hard enough for doctors to encourage people to adopt healthier lifestyles. Doing it remotely gets even harder.

Then there’s the matter of reimbursing doctors for their time. In America, most physicians prefer to deliver a quantity of medicine due to the reimbursement model of healthcare instead of ensuring quality medicine through good communication, time and establishing personal relationships. As a result, Parkinson believes telehealth will be a good way to augment care between in-person visits but doubts it will ever completely replace in-office visits. “Given the current physician reimbursement model as defined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, physicians are paid less to see you via telepresence than in the office. Why would a doctor want to sacrifice income just to use telepresence?” Parkinson notes.

Others are more upbeat. Microsoft’s Trower believes that the next step in telepresence health care technologies will put a personal care robot in your home. GeckoSystems of Atlanta, Georgia, hopes to become the first U.S.-based company to deliver eldercare robots. It plans to begin selling its robots early next year, after a series of public evaluation trials.
GeckoSystems’
CareBots include two engines: a self-navigating mobile platform that uses environmental cues and GeckoChat, a language recognition and processing engine.

“The CareBot will follow Grandma like a pet dog and tell her jokes, talk about her favorite TV shows and read her favorite bible verses,” promises Spencer. Over the past 10 years, GeckoSystems has spent $6 million developing its mobile CareBots, which Spencer expects will sell for $10,000 to $15,000 apiece. Spencer figures that price will look like a bargain to patients who are considering spending more than $20,000 a year for a spot in an assisted living program.

“Imagine a robot in your elderly parents’ home,” Helen Grenier, co-founder of iRobot and CEO of DroidWorks writes, “allowing you to virtually visit by means of video, or one that can deliver a drink and important medication at the right time, letting the aged remain independent longer [This is] absolutely not science fiction. All it would take is recognizing these as critical national goals–before other countries take the lead.”

Other countries, most notably Japan, are also working on home-care robots. Companies that have robots already at work include Fujitsu’s “enon” service robot and Mitsubishi’s Wakamaru. Other companies, including ones in South Korea and France are also working on homecare robots.

How else could robots speed up the evolution of America’s next health care program? None have yet run for Congress–but could that be far off?